Out-of-favour Celtic midfielder James McCarthy could leave the club at the end of the season, according to former Hoops hero Frank McAvennie.
The Lowdown: McCarthy struggling for minutes
The 31-year-old joined Celtic on a permanent deal from Crystal Palace last summer as he sought to make an impact under Ange Postecoglou.
It hasn't worked out for McCarthy, though, with the Republic of Ireland international limited to just four starts in the Premiership overall.
The midfielder's current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2025, but it seems unlikely that he will remain at Parkhead until then.
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The Latest: McCarthy backed to leave Celtic
Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie claimed that McCarthy could even be shipped off this summer, having struggled to impress for Celtic. The 62-year-old said of the Irishman:
"McCarthy, well he’s hardly kicked a ball since he came in. I thought he was going to come in and be our hardman in the midfield.
"He likes a tackle but it hasn’t quite happened for him this season. Some of the midfielders have gone off the boil a bit, like Hatate, and he can’t find a way in.
"Hopefully he can get himself fit over pre-season because he started this season injured, it’s been a struggle for him. But if he can’t do that then, well, we already have a lot of midfielders and if he isn’t going to play, why would he stay?"
The Verdict: Makes total sense
McCarthy is a talented player who has enjoyed a good career - he was once hailed as 'incredible' by Roy Hodgson during his time at Palace - but it is hard to see how he is going to feature prominently in Postrecoglou's plans moving forward, given how rarely he has started this season.
The incoming title win will secure Champions League football, which could entice midfield additions to the club this summer, duly pushing the Irishman further down the pecking order.
It could make sense for all parties for McCarthy to move on and enjoy a fresh challenge, giving him the chance to become a regular elsewhere, while also getting his £14,000-per-week salary off Celtic's wage bill.
In other news, Ange Postecoglou has dropped a double Celtic transfer claim. Read more here.